Chairman Bob Schillerstrom discusses DuPage County investment opportunities with Business Leaders for Transportation

The winter quarterly meeting of Business Leaders for Transportation featured
an intimate conversation with Chairman Bob Schillerstrom about investment and
growth opportunities in DuPage County, including western access to O’Hare
Airport. After an informative presentation detailing the impacts and benefits of West
O’Hare Airport Corridor, Chairman Schillerstrom and Business Leaders’ members
discussed the potential for Public-Private Partnerships as a funding option for
transportation investments, the role of Chicago Metropolitan Agency for
Planning, and the potential of the "Moving Beyond Congestion" campaign for
securing funding for components of the plan.

In addition, Frank Beal,
executive director of Chicago Metropolis 2020, presented Business Leaders for
Transportation new official position on the proposed lease of the Illinois
tollway system. Business Leaders developed a position statement
on the proposed tollway system lease in anticipation of future legislative
debates about state authorization of the use of Public-Private Partnerships both
to build new and to improve existing transportation infrastructure. The position
paper states that Business Leaders for Transportation will support a lease only
if specific conditions concerning the reinvestment of net proceeds into
transportation projects and stakeholder involvement are met. Members remarked on
the success of private capital for public works, referring to the lease of
Chicago Skyway, and agreed that innovative funding alternatives, such as
Public-Private Partnerships, are required to maximize transportation investments
and move towards a seamless sustainable multi-modal transportation
system.

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